Written By: Aiden Simpkiss

Introduction

The American Marketing Association has been the leading club at the University of New Hampshire for anything marketing for years, but this year is special because we are officially announcing a corporate sponsor. We are pleased to announce a year-long partnership with Vital Design, a digital marketing agency based in Portsmouth, NH. Vital will help support AMA throughout the 2026–2027 academic year while allowing our members to connect with a real marketing agency. In return, Vital will have the opportunity to connect with future marketing professionals and attach their name to our club as AMA competes and represents UNH throughout the year. 

Why Vital?

When looking for a partner to strengthen AMA’s connection with the marketing industry, Vital Design quickly stood out as a natural fit. Located right down the road in Portsmouth, Vital brings the kind of real-world experience that complements what we are doing at AMA. Even more importantly, a strong percentage of Vital’s team are UNH alumni, creating a pipeline that goes beyond a traditional sponsorship. The UNH–Vital connection is already strong, and we could not be more excited to build on that relationship throughout the 2026–2027 academic year.

To really understand who we are partnering with, it is worth taking a deeper dive into the origins of the company AMA decided to hitch its wagon to. Vital Design first opened its doors in Portsmouth in 2001, starting in a small office. Founded by Zac Gregg after working in marketing and sales. He then decided to start up his own operation and build a small company that has since grown into a team of more than 100 talented professionals working across multiple offices. Over the years, Vital has continued to grow and evolve alongside the marketing industry, expanding from its early days as a digital marketing agency to the vast marketing strategy company it is today. But even with rapid growth, Portsmouth has remained the home for this company and will remain the place of residence, as sticking to local roots is an important part of Vital’s identity. This identity is just one of the many reasons AMA decided to partner with this amazing company. 

At its roots, this partnership is primarily about supporting AMA throughout the year, but there is much more to it than that. Vital will become a part of our club throughout the year. Their name and branding will be featured across AMA events, workshops, and our marketing throughout the year, giving Vital a consistent presence within our club and community. For students, this means becoming more familiar with a company embedded in UNH culture, and for Vital, it means getting their name in front of students and future marketing professionals who will soon enter the workforce with new skills ready to make a difference. We see our partnership as more than just an agreement to support mutual effort, but a way to support and build these lasting communities to new heights. 

Final Thoughts and Looking Ahead

One of the best ways this partnership will come to life is during our Marketing Week. Vital will come in and run a competition for our members, getting directly involved with the students they helped support. Instead of just hearing about marketing from a classroom or textbook, this will allow our members to compete, learn, and interact with the Vital team while giving Vital a chance to see the talent they so graciously sponsored.  

As we look ahead to the rest of the year, we are excited to see where this partnership takes both AMA and Vital and hope this is just the beginning of an ever-growing relationship.